The present invention provides improvements in the production of hydrocarbons and other fluids from subterranean formations. More precisely, the present invention provides improved methods for completing a borehole while also reducing or precluding the production of sand with fluids produced from a subterranean formation.
Fluid producing wells are often completed in unconsolidated or poorly consolidated subterranean formations. These formations typically contain loose or incompetent sand capable of flowing into the borehole with the produced fluids. Production of sand with the desired fluids has the potential to rapidly erode metal tubulars and other production equipment. Additionally, production of a significant quantity of sand with the desired fluid may damage the formation resulting in impaired fluid production from that portion of the formation. Clearly, excess sand production has the potential to significantly increase the operational costs of a well.
Various techniques and devices have been developed by the oil and gas industry to minimize the production of sand and other fine particulate matter with the produced fluids. Common devices and methods such as gravel packs, frac-packing, near-wellbore consolidation with curable resins, and expandable screens provide adequate solutions to the sand production problem. However, each solution in turn presents new and typically costly problems. Therefore, the industry continues to seek simple cost effective procedures for completing fluid producing wells while minimizing or eliminating the production of sand.